KHORIXAS – Dirt, the absence of electricity and the long walking distance to fetch water are some of the hurdles residents of Donkerhoek in Khorixas face.
“People with cars don’t want to come and visit us here because they say the rubbish blocks the road,” Gerson /Uiseb says.
Residents say they do not have toilets. Most of them have to use pit latrines.
“The Khorixas Town Council does not want us to have these kind of toilets (pit latrines) anymore. They say they want us to have the flushing toilets but we do not have running water in our homes,” /Uiseb adds. “We have many challenges; if you want to get water you have to walk a distance of about 200 metres with a 25-litre container. This location is very dark at night. We don’t have electricity,” adds 31-year-old Saul Ubiteb.
Meanwhile, 60-year-old Elsie !Nawases says, “When I see children playing nearby I send them to go and fetch water for me. I’m diabetic and I have high blood pressure. My one leg is not well also. It would be good if we have water nearby,” she adds. !Nawases says the absence of flashing toilets poses health hazards for the people of Donkerhoek, citing hygienic reasons.
“I want to build a toilet (pit latrine) but my monthly pension only finishes on food. I can’t even buy clothes. I heard that the elderly pension grant increased to N$1 000 but still I think it is too little because I share my pension money with six other people who are not here at the moment,” !Nawases says.